Shrinkage of Apple Corporation - Layoffs of the past week
plus those of nine months ago represent a 46% reduction in the workforce
over the past year. This indicates that Apple is destined to be a niche
player if it is to survive.
If Apple is to disappear, those with Apple or Apple clones will be frozen
at the current point of technology.

Campus Networking

Campus Network Advisory Committee met yesterday, the chair is Gary
Koehler(BUS) and coordinator is Gene Hemp. This meeting of administrative
types discussed the implementation of campus-wide standards. For example,
there is a variety of incompatible email systems on campus.
The Libraries adhere to the Internet standards. Building
standardization may result in campus networking management being
responsible to the wall plate. There have been meetings with vendors. The
architecture of Internet2 puts control at a central network organization
through to the desktop. It stops at indicating the type of micro to be
used. The two key concepts of Internet 2 are "quality of service"
network protocols and "gigapops" as elements of the connection plan.

Campus Technical Advisory Committee meets tomorrow. This group will
consist of "techies", not administrative types.

Bill Covey passed out and then discussed a handout from Mark Hale
which lists the current Internet initiatives: DIVCOMM, FIRN, ATM Trial,
SUSNet, Internet2, vBNS, Next Generation Internet, GRU, COX, and the
SURA Southern Cross.

Local Developments

Estimates have been made on the wiring of Journalism, Special
Collections and the remaining 2nd floor of Library West. Projections
have come in high, will try for more estimates, then compare.

Library East - we are curtailing any wiring projects as
contractors recently undid what was just done in Special Collections.

AFA-Music link - we are waiting for one more piece of equipment
(again) that will be delivered Fed Ex to complete the link. The
configuration is proving to be rather difficult.

Network Security - possible breach of security on campus
on March 17th, targeting Windows '95. To prevent it from happening,
we turned off Telnet 137 & 139 - ports that feed the FIDDI loop.
Someone had figured a way to access a
Unix box and talk to DOS, whereby they could potentially steal
passwords. The blockage was put into place yesterday morning.

Campus Network will undergo physical reconfiguration to solve
overloading HUBs problem. Will probably have one big campus FIDDI loop
instead of the two smaller ones.

Computing

The latest shipment of 40 Cows has been received. Should be ready
for distribution to the staff by the middle of next week.

Paint Shop Pro has been ordered - it's cheaper & easier. 3. We have
been making upgrades to the 486 Systems - expanding them to Pentium
class machines. These are for use as staff work stations.

Biosis Disks - have been loaded to the SP Server. FCLA needs to
hook them in. Should be available soon. FCLA doesn't have much
experience working with Unix, they will need to consult with NERDC.

A four disk tower has been set up for Chemical Abstracts - a four
disk, multi-user dataset for online users.

Philosopher's Index has been added to the jukebox.

Circulation Transactions with Gateways - Rich has been testing
and found some bugs. If the bugs can be worked out, Rich recommends
using the Cows. It will have SNAPS-like backup capability with IP
addresses. A Gateway hookup will have to be set up at FCLA. Questions
arise concerning the reliability of using the Cows vs. the current dumb
terminal system. While there may possibly be more down time, dumb
terminals are inevitably on their
way out, as the cost of repairing old equipment becomes exorbitant.
We are currently stockpiling our old ones so we can do our own
maintenance on them for as long as possible. Ultimately, better
functionality will result from more modern equipment. Three years is
the maximum length of time that we can expect to stay with the dumb
terminals.

Email

DNS migration hasn't taken place yet - once the changeover is
established, it will be a one time upheaval for NERDC.